under a winter sky
by nightofowls
Summary: he can't imagine a life without her. —Gray/Lucy ; prompts for graylu week.
1. one for the birds

**disclaimer:** Fairy Tail? no. disclaimed.  
 **author's note:** i'm trying a new format for my fanfictions; they'll range based on the type. anyway, i know i'm a little late because was down for a few days, but i hope to catch up soon.  
 **summary:** he's been a hunter of the paranormal for years, but never once did he come across something even remotely more tempting than she.  
 **other info:** GrayLu; prompt is _legend/myth_ (day one); monster hunter!au.

* * *

 _o1. one for the birds  
_ by levy mcgardens

.

 _"Sometimes beautiful things come into our lives out of nowhere._  
 _We can't always understand them, but we have to trust in them..._  
 _... sometimes it pays to just have a little faith."_  
—Lauren Kate, _Torment_

.

The sky was streaked with crimson and burnt sienna and tasted of imminent nightfall. With the setting sun burning an image behind his eyelids, Gray held up a hand to shield his eyes from the scintillating rays. Leaning against a tree trunk, he sighed.

The forest was soulful, teeming with supernatural wildlife in all forms: fairies, werewolves—heck _,_ even _vampires_ were possible.

To specialized A-level monster hunter Gray Fullbuster, this place was barely a step below a Garden of Eden.

He readjusted the strap on his gloves as he trekked through the foliage. A light breeze whistled through the trees; it sounded like a melody passed down through lore and centuries. Around him, the forest hummed with life; it almost seemed alive itself.

 _If_ , Gray couldn't help but think to himself, _I hunt with enough efficiency, my game rate will shoot so high I'll definitely get promoted to an S-Class Hunter_.

He just needed something the right size, with compatibly strong horsepower—

" _Kyaaah!_ "

 _Huh?_ He whipped his head around. _Someone's in trouble...!_

As the scream resounded through the trees and wrought forth residue echoes, Gray's acute senses instantly powered up his system. Poising himself, he patted his belt, where his trusty revolver—in case his other weapons didn't work—lay toxic and loaded.

A series of tremors shook the ground, and as the vibrations coursed through his leg the brunet sprang into action.

Immensely heavy footsteps rocked the earth beneath his feet, and the bouts of shaking almost brought him to his knees as he leapt through the undergrowth. Such practices were in Gray's field of expertise—as he ran he was nimble and agile, and seemed to barely touch the ground as he weaved his way in and out between the trees.

Sunlight from the clearing caught his attention, and he sprinted to the entrance.

The rumbling was growing heavier by the second, and a series of bone-chilling roars emanated through the forest. At the terrifying sounds, flocks of birds fled from the trees. What once was a delightful breeze suddenly became a violent, torpid gale.

" _Help!_ " a feminine voice shrieked over the rumbling, and in response Gray ran even faster. He fumbled for the stash of lacrima ninja daggers dangling from his belt— _hey, it was handy to have these kinds of weapons in times of need_ —and broke through the vegetation.

The clearing was bathed pink and amber in the sunset. In front of him was a large waterfall with shimmering precious stones submerged in the shallow water—

And one of the most enormous monsters he had ever seen ruthlessly pursuing a girl.

Time seemed to come to a stop for Gray as he noticed the victim, and his eyes widened. Her face was angelic in a more evangelical sense, with large doe eyes and a countenance to kill for. The female's long blonde hair brushed against her shoulders and tumbled down her back like a golden curtain.

Even while fleeing a predator, he couldn't help but notice how graceful her movements were— _oh Mavis_ _, what was he thinking_? Gray was snapped out of his reverie as she tripped and collapsed, issuing an exclamation and landing bodily in the stream.

Gray furrowed a brow in concern, a plethora of emotions surging through his mind.

"Ah!" the maiden cried out. Whipping her head around, the blonde flinched when the elongated shadow of her relentless pursuer fell over her, encasing her in darkness. Behind her, the monster reached out a meaty claw and wrapped it around her delicate form. "No, let go!" the blonde thrashed around valiantly.

Fury lit up within Gray's eyes as he watched the scene unfold. "Hey!" he yelled, diverting the hideous beast's attention before he knew what he was doing. "Let go of her, you Grendel!"

With a flick of his wrist he sent the daggers soaring through the air at breakneck speed, and skidded to a stop at the bank of the lake. The blades gleamed as sparks of the sun reflected off them, effectively catching the demon's attention. Without a second's hesitation, Gray yanked his whip from his belt and thrust it forward. The serrated edges seared into the leathery skin as it coiled around the creature's arm, and the monster released an earsplitting screech.

The blonde maiden gasped when Gray swung atop the beast's head. Intrigued, her eyes widened, and Gray swore he could see curiosity alight in her rich brown irises.

"W-Who are you?" she called, cupping her hands around her mouth. She leaned on her elbows against the monster's large hairy fist, suddenly unaware of the danger she was in.

Gray didn't answer, his mind preoccupied with ridding the vicinity of the gargantuan, rancid-smelling gargoyle, but her presence made him uneasy. He didn't necessarily want to _kill_ anything; his job was simply to capture. His gaze darted to that of the blonde girl's, with her wide eyes and gorgeous smile, and back to the bulbous head of the monster.

After all, if he did anything else, she would probably get hurt, no?

The brunet bit his lip.

 _Well, here goes nothing_.

Reaching for his belt with one hand, he maneuvered his other skillfully and jerked the creature's head so violently to the side it teetered dangerously. Around them, droplets of water began splaying everywhere.

As she rocked violently, the blonde held her hair back to prevent it from falling over her face. "B-Be careful!" she warned, concerned. She squeezed her eyes shut in worry and hunched up, covering her ears. "Un..."

Flicking his wrist once more, Gray waited until the whip wrapped securely around the monster's wrist before he swung towards the blonde. With his spare hand, he hurled a stink bomb at its single, gaping eye.

The creature toppled over, its grip on the girl loosening; as the ginormous beast rocked with the force of Gray's attack, the hunter snatched the opportunity and reached for the blonde, who let out a short, shrill cry as she dropped from the sky. Wrapping his arms firmly around her waist, Gray cradled her to his chest as he collided with the grassy banks of the lake and dropped into a roll. Lakewater soared into the air with a thunderous splash upon contact with his frighteningly large adversary.

The two slowly rolled to a stop with the lush green grass tickling their skin. Blood flooded into Gray's ears when he finally opened his eyes, only to find himself face to face with the blonde maiden, his two arms on both sides. His breath hitched at their proximity.

She was even more majestic up close, with flowers flung astray in her hair and her cheeks flushed with color.

"I," she finally started, breathless, and let a hand flop to the ground beside her head. She blushed even redder when she realized how the handsome stranger was _literally right on top of her_ , his raven black hair flopping over his forehead. Regaining his composure, Gray cleared his throat and instead kneeled on the ground beside her. He held out his hand and helped the girl up into a sitting position wordlessly.

"Are you alright?" he said, noticing how her hand was still clasped in his.

"Yes," she answered self-consciously, and her eyes seemingly found interest in the ground. Shyly, the blonde tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and glanced back at him. Her other hand cradled his cheek as she leaned closer, entranced.

"What's your name, handsome stranger?" she inquired softly, her hair falling over her shoulders. "Why did you risk your own life to save me?"

"Fair maiden," Gray responded, his voice deep and dulcet. "My name is Gray Fullbuster. And you are? Why were you out so late?"

A smile tickled her lips. "My name is Lucy," she laughed, the sound of her giggling like chiming bells, "and I live in this forest."

Alarm klaxons immediately went off in Gray's head as he finally noticed her peculiar getup. Her hair was adorned with blooming flowers, and her dress couldn't possibly have been anything _man-made_ —

"Y-You..." His eyes narrowed slightly in confusion.

"I am an Oracle of the stars," Lucy explained, eyes twinkling, and Gray wracked his brain.

"I've heard of that before."

"I know." The blonde's tone was wistful. "I recently escaped from my prison with the twelve golden Zodiac keys, and—" She swiveled around, eyes landing on the defeated beast lying asunder in the lake. "—you just incapacitated the Gatekeeper."

Gray's mind ran amok as memories began resurfacing. He could almost hear his former master Ur's lilting voice speaking to him once more, telling him about the myth of an oracle who was trapped in the mountains in a prison of fire and who had the ability to consult the celestial heavens.

 _Could it be her?_

He was pulled out of his reverie when Lucy offered him a flower crown. With a euphonious laugh bubbling from her lips, she stepped forward and placed it upon his head, before wrapping her arms around his abdomen.

"Huh?" was all Gray could muster. Spellbound, his cheeks flared red upon seeing her sweet smile and feeling the warmth of her embrace, and returned the gesture after a moment of stupor.

The blonde girl gazed back up at him and opened her mouth to say something, when a roar suddenly pierced through the air, shaking the ground. Warily, Gray pivoted around, only to see the monster begin to stagger back up. Lucy's eyes widened, and she began panicking.

"Oh no, I—I—" she said frantically, trembling. Gray suddenly felt the urge to protect her and shield her away from any and all danger.

Instead, he placed his palms on her bare shoulders and willed himself not to think about their contact. "Lucy," he began solemnly, the rays of the setting sun reflecting in his navy blue irises, "come with me. I'll protect you and bring you back to Fairy Tail."

"Fairy Tail?" Lucy was starry-eyed, and blood rushed to her face as she considered the offer. Traveling with Gray? Having more adventures with Gray? Possibly going on what could be the most daring escapade of her life?

Finally being able to escape her fate... _with him?_

Lucy hid a smile in her hair, her eyes stinging. "Okay," she muttered, eyes brimming with joy.

Gray smiled encouragingly, leaning closer, and held out his hand once more. "Come on, Lucy," he smirked reassuringly as another roar reverberated through the trees right behind them, and the gargantuan footsteps began thundering towards them.

Seeing the oncoming danger, the brunet reached forward and scooped the blonde up into his arms, despite her squeak of protest.

"G-Gray?" Her eyes were befuddled, but she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck anyway. Gray winked.

"Don't worry, I'm right by your side," he assured her, and broke into a sprint.

 _This_ , he mused, _was definitely going to be one for the birds._

"Let the adventure begin!"

* * *

 **endnote:** the first excerpt was kind of inspired by that one Disney _Hercules_ scene, but mashed up with a bunch of other stuff. hehe.


	2. onward to wonderland

**disclaimer:** i do not own Fairy Tail.  
 **author's note:** mhm.  
 **other:** i kind of liked my previous prompt so i decided to link the two together, and maybe i'll add the third prompt onto it as well.  
 **prompt:** tattoo (ii)

* * *

 _02\. onward to wonderland_  
by levy mcgardens

.

 _{you're my wonderland}_

.

It was hard to fathom that Lucy's life had changed in a mere few hours.

One minute, she'd been running for her life, her bare feet padding against the shafts of grass as the monstrous Gatekeeper pursued her, hot on her heels. The next, she'd encountered a dashing stranger who'd not only saved her life, but had also offered to bring her along for the adventure of a lifetime. Sure, Lucy knew it was gospel that one shouldn't trust strangers, but was she one to listen to fate anyway?

Certainly not.

With these thoughts wandering about her mind, Lucy skipped along the trail, footsteps ethereal and blissful. Crisp autumn leaves bedded the forest path, once sun-baked and worn down over the years by wagon crossings and travelers on horseback. Slightly behind her, sauntering, Gray laid a hand on his bow and arrow, senses piqued. Sparing the girl a fond glance, he couldn't help but notice how every time she set a foot down, not a single leaf was cracked or bent.

How awesome the sight was, he couldn't explain with words.

Everywhere, the forest teemed with life. They had long since lost the Gatekeeper's trail, thank the heavens, and had now set off on a more easygoing pace.

Lucy, sensing Gray's watchful gaze, skipped to a halt and turned around, her tresses and the breezy folds of her dress scattering about her gracefully like ripples on a pond. Eyes wide, she ebulliently reached toward a nearby tree branch and held out her finger toward a resting bluebird, which promptly flitted to her hand.

Gray stopped in front of her with a half-smile and a raised brow. In response, the blonde daintily held the bird up for Gray to see in her cupped hands. Smiling, she hummed, "The forest is filled with life I never even dreamed of." She tickled the bluebird's feathered abdomen playfully.

"Mhm," Gray replied wordlessly. A ghost of a smile passed over his face as he continued watching her.

"Say," Lucy replaced the bird and clasped her hands behind her back in earnest, "how long will the trip take?" In the distance, the moon hung low above the horizon, bathing the forest and mountain about them in an otherworldly glow, and illuminated her hair so it looked like a halo.

"Ah," Gray's breath caught in his throat momentarily. "Probably a few more days, at most," he responded, feigning a cough to shield his burning cheeks.

"Is that so?" Lucy's expression made his heart skip a beat. Clapping vivaciously, she twirled around on the balls of her feet and skipped back on ahead, leaving the aroma of freshly picked flowers and strawberries in her wake.

Hiding a smirk, Gray followed.

* * *

"I guess we'll set up camp here for tonight." Gray scratched the back of his neck, eyeing the rocky slope they were on. He and Lucy had paused halfway up the mountain trail on a promontory overlooking the landscape below. Even at night, the forest seemed to emanate a bucolic warmth he had never known as a monster hunter.

The mountain trail wasn't the easiest path one could take, but it was relatively safer than the others, and Gray didn't want Lucy to fall to harm in any way.

Ever the effervescent, Lucy tiptoed precariously along the ledge beside him as they scaled the path. The brunet directed a concerned look her way, frowning in case she should fall, but continued on wordlessly. As they rounded the labyrinthine path, wallowing in comfortable silence, he slipped her a clandestine look. The blonde was striding along the edge, bathed in blissful insouciance, without a care in the world. Subconsciously, he released a deep sigh, pulling the blonde out of her reverie.

"Hm? Gray, are you alright?"

She swiveled her head around good-naturedly, only to miss a step. Before either of them could react, she let out an abrupt exclamation of surprise as she began tipping backwards. Eyes widening, Gray lunged forward and reached towards her. Instantly, he wrapped an arm around her waist and clasped her hand with his other tightly, internally panicking. Small debris plunged from where Lucy teetered to the lonesome paths and trees below.

" _Lucy_ —!"

For a moment the two remained in that position, frozen, and time seemed to slow. A summery, patient breeze began to blow, billowing the folds of Lucy's gossamer dress about Gray's abdomen and brushing through her curtain of golden hair. Breathless, Gray could only stare at her in stunned silence when the evanescent moment passed and her expression shifted to that of joy.

Laughing, Lucy wrapped her two arms around Gray's neck, seemingly completely unaware that she was on the verge of possible death, tilting off the edge of a mountain slope by some-to-ninety degrees. Warmly, she smiled and brushed his bangs out of his forehead.

"I'm fine, Gray." The wind whistled past them. An even brighter smile. The blonde rested her forehead lightly against his. "Are _you_ alright?"

Torn from his wandering musings, Gray's cheeks flushed red, and for once he was glad he was facing away from the moonlight. He carefully spun her around so she was back on her two feet, away from harm's grasp, but couldn't bring himself to unravel himself from her completely.

"Yeah," he said, dazed. Lucy's eyes twinkled like the stars hanging above them in the sky, and she unlatched herself from his grasp and clasped his hand instead. She skipped ahead of him to the flattened face of the cliff, and let go, pirouetting on the spot.

"So, you said we were supposed to camp here tonight?"

* * *

The embers of the hearth glowed a rustic red, illuminating the small perimeter about their temporary camping abode.

Crouching on a crisp wooden log with her knees drawn up to her chest, Lucy serenely spread her palms out in front of the flames, marveling almost incredulously at how fire didn't always exist to harm or kill, but could coexist also as a source of radiant, comforting warmth. Sitting a little ways away with his back to the flames, Gray occupied himself with sharpening his sword. Even so, he found himself sneaking a glance the blonde's way more often than he would have wished.

"Gray, Gray!" Lucy exclaimed with childish glee, prancing about the hearth. "I never knew fire could be so beautiful!"

Said person smirked and instead focused on the penumbra he cast upon his blade.

"Mhm," he grunted, and rolled up his sleeves to resume his work, when behind him Lucy gasped. Gray raised a brow, but only turned his head. "You alright?"

"Your—your arm!" She gestured to his demon slayer tattoo, settling beside him and laying running her fingers over the mark. Her eyes were wide with wonder, and as she glanced up at Gray it seemed that the efflorescence of flames seemed to bloom in her irises.

"Ah," Gray sheathed his sword and stood up; Lucy mimicked the action, still entranced by the intricate design inked on his arm, and seated herself on the ground beside him as he sauntered to the fireplace. "Yeah, this..." he trailed off, deep in thought. Lucy was ensnared by the nostalgic expression on his face, and her grip on his forearm tightened marginally.

"Will you tell me of its origin, Gray?" she prompted, her voice dulcet as always, and Gray replaced himself onto the ground beside her. The warm umber light cast dancing shadows upon their faces, and seemed to curl up and down his arm as he spoke.

"Alright." He brought a knee up to his chest and rested his elbow upon it, eyes glued to the fire. "You've heard of Zeref, right?"

"Briefly, I have," Lucy admitted.

"Well, uh, I don't know if I've told you this, but as one of the countless monster hunters out there, my job is to seek out and obliterate all and any of the paranormal. Fiore is one of the main lands in our world that holds the cleft between the monster world and the human world, but it's one of the weakest: that's why our continent is basically filled with monsters and humans alike.

"When I was a kid, one of Zeref's demons, Deliora, began ravaging villages and razing cities to the ground. He attacked the town I was living in and killed both of my parents, and almost me, but I was saved by an ice wizard called Ur. She took me in and I became her disciple, until I made a couple of damn rash decisions and tried to face Deliora head on with a spell Ur had hidden in her books, Iced Shell." Gray sucked in a breath, intently glaring at the fire.

He continued after a tense pause. "Instead, Ur took the brunt of it all for me and used it instead to defeat Deliora, encasing him in ice for eternity. I felt so useless, you know? I couldn't do anything and that cost me the lives of everyone dear to me. I wandered about, alone, for a while, until Fairy Tail reached out its hand and took me in. So when I joined, I knew I craved vengeance for all Deliora's kind: the monsters. That's how I became a monster hunter.

"A year ago, Fairy Tail was pitted against a demon alliance called the Baram Alliance, and we had to fight the most powerful guild, Tartarus. Apparently, one of those sick bastards was a necromancer who specialized in experiments and raising the dead, and one of his puppets was—was my father." Gray clenched his jaw at the memory, the images twisting and churning in the pit of his stomach.

"But my old man tried to infiltrate their guild under the guise of that, as a demon slayer. After we fought, and the necromancer was killed, he began to disappear... As his last gift, he gave me this tattoo, the mark and power of the demon slayer. It's become my ultimate objective, to fight and conquer the demon king, rumored to be called END," Gray finally trailed off, and exhaled deeply, like a weight had been lifted off his chest and alleviated the pressure of the burden.

A forlorn air settled over him, and it seemed as if his usual stoic mask had shed off, revealing instead the heartrending pain he shielded away from the world. Overcome with a rush of empathy, Lucy leaned forward on her knees towards him. Lifting a hand, her fingers fluttered against his cheek, brushing through his hair. Gray slowly, hesitantly rested his own palm over hers.

Finally, he turned to the blonde, whose face burned an undetectable red in the light of the campfire, and an affectionate smirk slipped onto his face. Lucy barely took into account how the heat from his cheeks emanated about her palm.

"I guess I'm feeling a lot better now." He broke the silence, and Lucy blinked.

The girl smiled. "It has a lot of meaning," she interjected, her other hand trailed over the tattoo. "It's breathtakingly beautiful, a last legacy left behind."

"I guess so," Gray agreed.

The dewy hope in her eyes lightened his heart as her expression shifted to one less somber. "Fairy Tail seems like a heaven on earth, the way you describe it." The fire had begun to wither out. Embers glowed a becoming auburn in the ashes. Above their heads, the phantasmagoric light of fireflies began paving their way about them.

The brunet ran a hand through his hair languidly and leaned back. "It kind of is," he muttered, still watching her as she looked over the edge of the plateau, admiring the world majestically spread out below them, and her fingers reached up as if to touch the fireflies. A few weaved between her fingers and blonde tresses.

Quietly, Gray laid a hand on the small of her back. "Get some sleep, alright? We have a long way to go tomorrow."

Stretching out her cupped hands and turning back to him, Lucy opened them to reveal a single firefly, illuminating her palm with its neon glow. It flitted about out of her hand, drifting by Gray's eyes in a desultory manner.

"Okay," she whispered in fatigue, eyes raw with affection and other unreadable emotions, and her eyelids fluttered shut right on the spot. With lissome posture, Lucy turned to lie on her side, rested her head against her arms, and curled in on herself, and was asleep in an instant.

For a while, Gray remained inert, listening to the soft rise and fall of her chest. Swiveling his head around, he watched her rest in tranquil slumber, her features free of any tire and wear, before gathering her up in his arms and setting her down a blanket he had spread out earlier in the evening. Stifling a fond smile, he brushed aside an errant strand of hair that had fallen across her face.

As he got up and made to rest near the hearth in solitude, a few feet away, Gray ruefully gazed at the moon, ever-brightening in the sky like a gem, and recalled their conversation.

" _Fairy Tail seems like a heaven on earth, the way you describe it._ " Her voice reverberated through his brain.

" _I guess so._ " But he was wrong, and he knew it.

Fairy Tail could be his safe haven, that was true, but Gray decided that in reality, she was his heaven on earth, his wonderland.

* * *

 **endnote** **:** hope you enjoyed it! au's really make me happy. if anyone wishes, i can extend one of these into a whole new story.


	3. a step below Eden

**disclaimer:** disclaimed.  
 **author's note:** i actually really liked the au for the previous two prompts, so i'll just get that going for now! for this prompt, just pretend it's one of the chapters further to the end of their story. the order of the actual prompts isn't really the most suitable for this story, but i'll manage it somehow.  
 **prompt:** meeting the family/parents (iii)

* * *

 _o3. a step below Eden_  
by levy mcgardens

.

 _"La famille est l'endroit d'où l'on doit partir pour réussir à se trouver."_  
—Family is the place you left to find yourself.

.

Wispy nightfall seemed to fly by the moment Gray's heavy lids had lowered for sleep, and morning seemed to knock on the door to his consciousness all too soon. As daybreak dawned upon them, the ever-poetic sun swirled its golden rays in the rosy dawn, and the brunet stirred.

As he groggily turned over onto his other side, his eyes cracked open. The first thing he saw was Lucy, her back to him as she sat serenely on the edge of the cliff face, her blonde hair wafting in the breeze. Rubbing his eyes, Gray wordlessly rose, brushed himself down, and threw his jacket over his shoulder.

Lucy's eyes were half-lidded with blissful wonder as she gazed out at the horizon, overlooking the never-ending spread of forest unfurled out before her like an autumnal blanket. Her legs dangled over the edge of the cliff peak, swinging to and fro with perpetual lassitude. Silently, Gray made his way over; she made no move to react.

As he sat down beside her, the monster hunter shrugged off his jacket and draped it carefully over her shoulders. Her eyes widened, and with pink tinged over her cheeks she snuggled into it and wrapped it tighter about herself.

Finally, Gray spoke first and broke the silence. "Lucy." His voice rumbled deep in his throat, a little huskier thanks to the morning blues. "What are you doing up so early?"

The blonde shivered upon hearing his voice, and with foreboding in her throat she finally turned to him. Her breath piqued when she saw his mussed-up bedhead and his sleep-ridden eyes, and she stifled a squeak as a strange emotion shot through her chest. Bashfully, her eyes seemed to find interested in her bare feet. She swung her legs too and fro. Gray wrapped an arm around her almost protectively.

"I—" Her voice was quiet. "When I was living back in the forest, I never got to see the sunrise. I was confined to a cage of fire, which became the only light I had, and the stars and the books I had were my only friends. Only when nighttime came would the top of the cage lower and the ceiling open and I'd have full access to summoning the constellations," she confessed wistfully, almost in disbelief that she could finally see the world around her. Lucy's head swiveled around as she leaned in closer to Gray.

"But now," she trailed off and rested her head on Gray's shoulder with a smile. "I can see anything I want, and I have you to thank for that."

"Were you lonely?" Gray asked, and she lifted her head up to glance at him, an unreadable expression in her eyes.

"No," she said effervescently. "My spirits were my friends. I was never lonely."

"Are you lonely now, then?" he prompted with a genuine smile.

"I've never been happier," Lucy's eyelids fluttered shut, drinking in the rays of the rising sun, but not before she directed him a promising laugh. "Ever."

* * *

The A-class monster hunter knew that he shouldn't have taken the detour through his old hometown, but something in his soul had beckoned to him as he descended the mountain path, and he felt he should pay some tribute to his parents after such a discovery.

By the time they had trekked into the town, it was nearing sundown once more, leaving ghostly shadows dancing across the razed ground and the town ruins. Lucy felt a wave of dejection wash over her as she stepped through crumbling stone and dust, a little ways behind Gray. She paused, but he did not stop until later on.

"Lucy," Gray said, not taking his eyes off the distant sun setting over the horizon and stuffing his hands in his pockets. Solemnly, she tiptoed up and laid a hand on his shoulder; he placed his on top of hers reassuringly for a moment before letting it drop back down. "We might need to camp here tonight." His voice was slightly off, and Lucy surely wasn't an idiot, but she only nodded.

"I'll..." the brunet said, bowing his head. "I'll find you later, okay? There's some people I want you to meet."

He walked away before she could reply him, but the blonde only directed a heartrendingly sad smile his way and turned to seek for a suitable sanctuary for the imminent coming of night.

Once the blonde had gone out of earshot, Gray sighed and ran a hand through his hair. His legs continued pacing forward, brisker and brisker each passing moment, as if fugacious time hadn't already taken everything he once had. The brunet broke into a run, not needing to open his eyes to know where he was headed.

He had too much on his mind at the moment for this.

Rounding a corner at the very end of the town line, Gray skidded abruptly and sprinted across the miniature hillocks forming beyond the main settlements, where new grass and weeds had already marked their dominion, and as he slowed to a stop at the top of the next hill he finally caught his breath and dared to breathe once more. Scattered across over an acre, poorly maintained crosses and other insignia dotted the hill and beyond, each with its own respective name carved on it.

It screamed the destruction of the once indestructible Deliora.

His breathing erratic and heavy, he tramped over through the countless gravestones, taking care to skirt around each one with all due respect for the resting. Finally, the two he had been searching for fell into view like two daggers in his heart, leaving shrapnel imbedded and never to be removed.

 _Mika_ , one read. _Silver_ , read the adjacent.

Gray's footsteps quickened towards them as his father's words echoed through his mind.

" _You are our pride and joy, Gray_."

Sluggishly, his footsteps slowed as he fell to his knees in front of the twin tombs. "Mom, Dad..." he said, voice cracking, but he regained his composure after bracing himself. "Mom, Dad. I came to tell you something."

A brief silence passed, and a wind rose about him, swirling auburn red leaves around him. "It's been thirteen years. There are a lot of things I haven't told you both that Dad had to find out himself. I'm an A-class monster hunter now; I've dedicated my life to pursuing the beasts that killed you both. I've accomplished everything you knew I would. You know what? I've even been nominated for the S-class exams earlier on in the year, but then they were interrupted in the middle and haven't continued yet. I guess I'm doing pretty well now and I guess I feel the obligation to tell you that. You deserve to know. But that's not why I came here today.

"Today I came to tell you about one of the greatest things that's ever happened to me."

* * *

The blonde listlessly walked through the town, eyes lost and clouded with lassitude. Around her, an abject breeze swirled about her bare legs and for the first time since she could remember she felt a bout of shivers run up her spine.

Gray had brought her to a ghost town.

Lucy furrowed her brow as she passed by dilapidated houses, each rotting and rusting from old age and archaic desolation. In one of the dusty windows, Lucy noticed a cracked mirror. Curiosity piquing, she wandered over, hands behind her back.

Propped up against the window sill, it was once an ornate beauty, now left to ruin. Its elaborately carved border was smudged with mud and dirt, and the glass was shattered into large pieces. Reflected in the iridescent glass, Lucy could see her youthful and tender face in kaleidoscopic fragments. She reached out a finger and traced it through an unmarred area, watching how the trail her finger left cleared the surface of so much dust it left a path in its wake.

Suddenly feeling somewhat uplifted, Lucy smiled and plucked the mirror from its stand, and drifted off to show Gray her new finding.

Breaking into a breezy run, her feet barely touching the ground, Lucy clambered on top of the nearest house. The shingles on the roof were cold and spongy as she tried to balance herself at such an angle. Raising a hand over her eyes to shield out the scintilla of the sun, she finally saw a lone figure crouching in the fields nearby, and knew immediately who it was.

Slipping down along a worn pipe, Lucy nimbly lowered herself down and jogged to the edge of the town line. Beyond, she could see the countless gravestones buried in the ground, and a sense of empathy lapped at the grooves in her heart.

"Gray," she muttered, crestfallen. The way he sat there in solitude pulled at her heartstrings, but she coerced a smile onto her face and bent down to gather the innumerable golden and umber maple leaves. Within moments, her fingers had weaved four laurels of leaves, and the blonde satisfactorily began scaling the hill to find Gray. As she neared in silence, she could barely make out the words he was speaking.

"... I know I should have stayed and built my own life here, but," Gray said, "I left you both so I could find myself. After my guardian Ur sacrificed herself, I came here to mourn for almost an entire week. Only the magic Ur taught me kept me alive. Then I realized that I had to leave, in order to find myself. And I did. I went on a mission a couple of days ago, and then I met someone whom I guess completed me the moment I laid eyes on her. I want you to meet her, Mom and Dad. I really do. I just didn't have the guts to bring her here because of all the pressure, but now that I've let it all out... I think I can do it."

He fell into a brooding silence. He had no idea how much time had passed. He had merely proceeded to spill out everything he ever wanted to say to his parents' face right there as he knelt among the piles of fallen leaves. Nearby, Lucy stood in silence, helplessly watching him break down. The wind ruffled her hair lazily.

"Her name is Lucy," he finally continued, glancing at his tightly clenched fists. Said person's eyes widened, and her breath caught in her throat. Happiness welled up in her chest, blossoming in perpetual efflorescence. Gray, too absorbed in his own little world, had no idea she was standing by; the blonde moved closer, her bare feet padding through the lush green grass.

"I said I was going to chase the paranormal, but she is one. In all the years I've been a hunter, I've never come across anything or anyone as beautiful as she is. Mom, you would've treated her like family immediately. Dad... you'd have loved her."

Lucy softly stepped up behind him and bent over his shoulder, her hand reaching out and grazing against his cheek. Even while wordless, Gray only leaned into her small embrace and wrapped his own hand around hers, before turning around. As he saw her, the brunet smiled wistfully.

"Mom, Dad..." He turned back, hand still clasped around hers. "This is Lucy."

Said girl directed him and the gravestones each a dazzling smile, and skirted around him to kneel before them. From the silk dangling around her waist she retrieved two maple laurels and placed them atop each monument. Then she bowed and kissed each one right on the name engravings, and Gray's eyes softened at the sight.

Finally, the blonde sat next to Gray in the grass and crossed her legs; the monster hunter wrapped a reassuring arm around her.

"Hello, Sir and Mademoiselle Fullbuster," she greeted. "I'm so glad I got to meet you."

Just like that, the two stayed in front of the twin graves for the rest of the night, and moved not a step from the safe haven of Gray's parents' embrace.

* * *

Gray had once thought himself cursed to have anyone he held dear leave him.

But as he stepped foot on the familiar sun-baked trail that he knew by heart led to the outskirts of Magnolia a day later, the brunet could hardly keep his emotions at bay. Behind him, Lucy tripped about to and fro over the fallen autumn leaves, her aura fleeting and ephemeral.

"We're almost here," he informed her, and she smiled a smile so lovely he almost forgot himself.

"I'm so excited!" The ebullience in her voice was so infectious that Gray couldn't help but hide a smile himself.

"Mhm," he said, pocketing his blade and quickening his pace till they were atop a hillock, with Magnolia peeking out from behind the rustic red of the trees. Lucy skipped to a stop beside him, and he gestured to the guild looming over the other buildings. "Look, Luce," he pointed. "That's the guild."

Her irises twinkled like the stars at night, and she clasped her hands together tightly while tiptoeing.

"I can't wait."

They continued trekking down the ever-steepening path, and Lucy ran daintily ahead, holding her arms out for balance. Gray's eyes widened in alarm should she go missing.

"Woah, Lu—" he yelled, sprinting after her with half a laugh, only to be cut off when she reappeared and leapt his way. Keeping his balance, Gray wrapped his arms around her waist as he spun her around a three-sixty, chuckling.

She cheered. "It's so beautiful!" she shrieked with joy, her arms tight around his neck. "Magnolia's such a nice place!"

"Isn't it?" Gray couldn't help the grin that spread across his face as he looked at her. He set her down and bent over a tad; the blonde hopped onto his back perkily and tightly wrapped her legs around his waist. He began bounding down the hill, the wind whistling past them, and with Lucy cheering heartily all the while.

* * *

"Here it is."

The sumptuous guild hall loomed over them, emanating a welcoming air. Lucy twirled in a circle on her toes and spread her arms out wide, exhaling a sharp breath. Breathless and dizzy, she stopped and stumbled into Gray.

"Are you ready?" he asked, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. The blonde pumped a fist in determination as he released her and moved to push open the door.

"I am," she clasped his arm. "I am, Gray." The two stepped inside, and Lucy was starry-eyed with wonder. She covered her mouth with a hand incredulously. Her exclamation was hushed, but even among the racket the other guild members were causing, Gray could hear only her. "Oh my goodness."

It was an average day at the guild hall, where sun shone through the glass windows and merriness was shared around peers. The guild hall was relatively full, Gray noticed, which was a great opportunity for Lucy to introduce herself later. Natsu and his other friends were embroiled in one of their frequent quarrels, which was sure to soon turn into a full-out brawl. The female Strauss' were making small-talk at the bar, and the Thunder God tribe

Mirajane was the first to notice Gray's return, and she waved cheerily. Lucy almost melted at the sight of the supermodel from where she was timidly hiding behind the brunet. "Oh, welcome back, Gray! How was your mission—?" She scrubbed at the dishes in the sink and dried her hands on a towel.

Lucy gasped quietly. Mira had yet to notice her. "She's so pretty! Who is she?" she half-hissed, hands on Gray's two shoulders.

Gray nonchalantly held up a hand in greeting at Mira. As he was about to answer, however, a fiery yell cut him off. Before he could react, Natsu barreled his way with an eager expression pasted on his face.

" _Ice princess_ _, fight me_!" he yelled, fist readied to punch, but Gray calmly set forth one hand and shielded Lucy behind him with the other. Glittering scales of ice wove about his fist and fanned out at his palm in the shape of a snowflake and collided with Natsu's outstretched fist. Lucy yelped and cringed.

"Not today, Natsu," Gray almost seethed, instead directing a reassuring smile Lucy's way. Her heart skipped a beat, and she grinned back. The salmon-haired boy curiously glanced over his shoulder to lay his eyes upon the reason why he was so out of character, and his eyes widened when he saw the blonde.

"Woah, who's this?"

Shyly, Lucy waved. "Hello," she said, resting a hand on Gray's bicep and rounding him to stand beside the brunet. "Is your name Natsu?" Her voice was soft and mellifluous.

"Yeah, hey there," Natsu directed her way a sunny grin and held out his hand. The blonde took it gently as Gray glared at the boy in what seemed to be thinly-veiled jealousy. "I'm Natsu. What's your name?"

"My name is Lucy." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

Finally, Gray reached out and batted his arm away. "Get your ugly mitts off her, Natsu. You'll scare the wits out of her with your face."

Said person made a face and punched him in the arm. "Aw shut up, pansy."

It seemed that at that moment everybody seemed to be aware of Lucy's existence. From the patrons' table, Wakaba whistled playfully.

" _Woah, Gray_!" His eyes widened comically. "Where'd a guy with a face like yours get a girl like _her_? _Wohohoah_!" he chuckled. Macao nudged him playfully with his elbow. From behind the mission bulletin board, Juvia's fingernails dug into the wood in envy, and Nab subconsciously stepped away from her.

"Love rival..." the bluenette seethed.

In the corner, Levy glanced up from her books. "Wow! Who's this, Gray?" she piped up.

"This is Lucy, and, just so you know..." Gray wrapped an arm around her with a raised brow, and the others understood what he meant. With pink tingeing her cheeks, she leaned against him, and the others laughed warmly.

Levy sidled up to her. "Hey, Lucy?" she smirked, and Lucy swiveled around to see her. The blonde beamed and offered her a daisy. "Great to meet you! I'm Levy."

Lucy sweetly clasped her hands. "Hello! It's so nice to be here."

"Oh my God, you're so cute! Gray, I might have to borrow her from you," Levy winked teasingly. She linked her arm with Lucy's. "But hey, now that you're here? Tell us more about yourself." The blonde laughed and the two strolled back to the bluenette's table, talking animatedly.

Gray smirked affectionately in her wake, shook his head, and made his way to where Master Makarov sat, chuckling jovially, and decided that Lucy was the last puzzle to completing his paradise—hell, technically she _was_ his paradise—and he desired more than anything to bring her to his own garden of Eden.

* * *

 **endnote:** if you didn't really understand the mirror section, please do ask! also, i just wrote the guild members' names at first so we can assume that Gray's already told Lucy all about his guildmates. gah, i don't really like this prompt, i'm so sorry—


	4. down the wishing well

**disclaimer:** disclaimed.  
 **author's note:** this prompt order _really_ gets on my nerves, to be honest. yet, i have no choice but to deal with it. _heads up:_ this isn't what you'd expect it to be.  
 **prompt:** newlywed (iv)

* * *

 _o4. down the wishing well_  
by levy mcgardens

.

.

.

It was to a generally positive unanimous vote that the bright sunshine that had stolen Gray's heart was to continue staying with the brunet until further notice, and he was content to his heart's desire. Life continued as always after their arrival, but now Gray could look forward to a new sliver of silver lining in his day almost all the time.

He returned home at past midnight on a drearier night when the stars were blotted out by the misty night and a light spring rain hovered above the town. As he nudged the door shut with his foot, fatigued from his afternoon preoccupied with matters that didn't concern a certain cheery blonde, Gray ran a hand through his hair and slumped against the door. Rainwater trickled down his forehead in rivulets.

Stumbling to the sofa, the brunet almost didn't notice Lucy's sleeping form sprawled out on the cushions until he sat heavily down at the other end and she whimpered in her slumber.

Whipping his head around, Gray's eyes widened when he noticed Lucy lying on her side, her blonde hair tumbling over her shoulders and her posture lithe even when unconscious. In her arms she clutched a thin blanket.

Making sure not to wake the girl, Gray cautiously reached over and eased the blanket out of her grip, before leaning over her to drape the blanket around her form with a fond smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

It was then that Lucy stirred, subconsciously pouting and yawning—he froze. Her eyelids fluttered open and remained half-lidded. The first thing she saw was Gray leaning over her, their faces almost nose-to-nose. A light blush dusting her cheeks, the blonde rested her head on her palm and leaned forward to nuzzle her nose against his. For a minute, both were in a sentimental daze, drenched in lamplight.

"Gray," she struggled to sit up, actions still sleep-ridden. Immediately he sprung back to life and brushed an errant strand of his dripping locks out of his eyes. "You came back," Lucy smiled giddily.

"Yeah," Gray slowly sat back down, and Lucy shimmied forward so they were side-by-side on the couch. "I'm sorry I woke you."

"Don't worry about that," she waved it off dismissively. The blonde's hand grazed his cheek and came back damp, and she eyed him with concern.

"You're wet." She directed a look outside. "Oh, it's drizzling—ah, _Gray_ , you'll get a cold if you do this to yourself!" Without a second thought, she gathered the blanket about him and wrapped it around his shoulders. Gray looked at her almost incredulously.

"You know," he said with a smile, "the cold never really bothered me, right?"

"Well, you're human. And you'll get sick eventually anyway," Lucy said, running her hands through his hair. Droplets of water dripped down her arm, but the blonde paid them no mind.

Gray remained silent all the while, her remark sinking into his mind, and smiled at her. Lucy beamed at him as she rifled through a nearby cupboard, reemerging from the depths of objects with a towel, and returned, using it to rub his hair dry.

Sure, he was just human indeed, but with her he certainly had the capability to be more than just that.

* * *

Lucy was awoken early one autumn morning by a slight chill, and sought to find the brunet she knew was her lifeline, only to find the sofa cold and empty. Slipping quietly out of bed and draping a blanket around her bare shoulders, she tiptoed out into the lifeless living room. The floorboards effectively softened the sound of her padding footsteps, tender and fairy-like light.

Then as she paused to admire the sky stained lilac and cotton candy pink, she noticed Gray's silhouette on the balcony. Wisps of smoke licked at the air around him. Lucy's eyes softened, and she made for the screen door.

She stepped out onto the balcony, sliding the glass door behind herself, and without even noticing she shed the blanket when she saw him.

Gray's features were hardened, and his posture was hunched, brooding and rigid. As the blonde wearily sidled up to his side, a pang of an unknown emotion ran through her chest. Unconsciously, her fingers drifted up to his shoulder and she gently ran her palm over his shoulder. The brunet's tense muscles loosened under her butterfly-soft touch, but he did not turn to look at her. Heavily, he leaned on the balcony railing, and sighed.

For a moment, Lucy remained silent, only making her way next to him and resting her elbow against the handrail, savoring the way the metallic cold sent shivers down her spine. The blonde smiled and touched his cheek.

"Gray," she muttered, her breath coming out in puffs of air despite how softly she spoke. "May I ask why?"

She said no more, but Gray understood what she meant. With another deep sigh rumbling in his throat, he sent her a halfhearted smirk.

"I'm okay," he said doggedly. Lucy's brow furrowed in concern.

The blonde laid her other elbow on his shoulder and played with his hair, and leaned forward. Softly, sweetly, her eyes fluttered shut and she kissed him on the cheek. "If you say so, Gray," her voice was lilting. "But consider me your confidant." Deftly, she plucked the cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth and brushed the residue smoke off the tip.

Hesitantly, Gray ran a hand through his hair and paused. Then he spoke, shattering the silence that fell between them. "I need something to do, Lucy. My life is currently the dead end of an abandoned alley. I've tried testing for the S-class exams one too many times, and I've always been bypassed by someone. First—Mirajane. Then—Erza. Now? Probably gonna be Natsu. I'm a complete dud, and standing here, idle—I can't handle it."

The blonde bit her lip and propped herself up on the balcony. Gray's eyes widened as her bare feet swung to and fro on the railing and her hands provided the only support she had. "Well," Lucy proposed. "Then, maybe you should go out. Go do something exhilarating. Don't stick to just your missions; what kind of life would that be? Fighting and sleeping, that's all. Come with me, and we'll go away for a few days." Her fingers laced around his.

"That..." Gray trailed off, pondering the suggestion. "That actually doesn't sound so bad," he remarked lowly. Then he turned to her, a half-smile on his face, and picked the fallen blanket from off the balcony floor.

* * *

"We'll take this one."

"You haven't been on a mission for a while now, Gray. It's good to know that you're getting back up to speed," Mirajane remarked, and directed a provocative wink his and Lucy's way. "You must have been occupied, _hm?_ "

"Mira—" Gray sighed, exasperated, while Lucy fiddled with her fingers. Said person eyed the mission poster.

"I'm not trying to assume anything, but Lucy, do you know how dangerous these could potentially be?" the barmaid rubbed her chin in thought and set the paper down on the counter. Instead she occupied herself with filling glasses of alcohol.

The blonde smiled effervescently at her. "Yes, Mira," she responded without any shift in expression. "We'll be fine. I promise—and I don't break promises!"

Mira allowed the unease to settle on her face momentarily, but it passed quicker than a shadow in the light. "If you say so," she finally acquiesced. Her gaze darted to that of Gray's and she caught his eye. "Gray," her voice was a grim, hushed whisper. "You'd better keep an eye on her."

Not even fear fazed him. Instead, he kept his gaze trained steadily on the blonde through his peripheral vision. "Yeah," his voice was brooding. "Don't even worry about it."

As if on cue, Lucy twirled his way and wrapped her arms around him from behind. "Gray!" she chimed, voice like morning bells. "Gray, you're finally taking me on a mission!" Spinning again, her fingers brushed against his inert hand as she hurtled past him in her joy. "Do you have any idea how happy I am?"

Raising a brow, thoroughly amused, Gray turned back to Mira and leaned on his elbow against the countertop. Gesturing to the girl, he smirked fondly. "You think I'd let anyone ever hurt her?"

When Mira did not reply, he grabbed the mission request sheet and rolled it up. It disappeared within the folds of his jacket. The brunet stood and made to leave when Lucy bounded back to him and wrapped her dainty fingers around his and gently began pulling him towards the guild hall door.

"Bye, Mirajane!" she waved excitedly. Blood rushed through her veins in a manner she hadn't experienced in far too long. The prospect of going on another adventure exhilarated her. Her feet barely touched the floor as she and Gray left the guild hall. Light filtered from the outside world into the doorway and illuminated the two in a halo of gold.

"We're going on an adventure!" was the last thing the other guild members heard before the doors closed.

Sighing contentedly, Mirajane resumed her cleaning duties. Nearby, Cana pivoted around on her spool chair.

"It's hard to think that we're all about the same age," the girl with white locks interjected. "They're head over heels. I haven't seen Gray so openly show much affection all in one go."

"They're like newlyweds," the brunette remarked, oh-so-casually sipping at her beverage. "So excited about everything. So young, so naive."

"Aren't they?"

A lax, comfortable silence fell about the two as they let the buzz of the guild settle over them once more.

* * *

 **endnote:** honestly, i didn't know what to write so i just left it like this. i hope this'll pass as something leading up to an actual event, y'know?


	5. an auroral slant of light

**disclaimer:** disclaimed.  
 **author's note:** yes, who knows what will happen on their mission? but worry not. this was not labeled an angst or hurt/comfort fic for a reason. i have a feeling it'll make you feel more happy than sad. _also_ : i'll probably split their time away from the guild into this chapter and the next.  
 **prompt:** smile ( _day five_ )

* * *

 _v. an auroral slant of light_  
by levy mcgardens

.

 _{there's a certain slant of light}_

.

Silence befell the two, marked only by the incessant rumble of the wooden wagon wheels jostling over gravel on the path. Lucy rested her head against Gray's shoulder with half-lidded eyes, and the brunet's arm was draped languidly over her shoulder. It had been over two hours since they had embarked on their journey, and it had been the blonde's choice to vie for wagon riding after they'd reached their designated train stop. This way, she had argued reasonably, they could enjoy the scenery, and Gray could really use a breath of fresh air.

Grudgingly, he'd agreed. Anything for that innocent, sweet smile of hers, really.

The Fiorean landscape unfurled out below them as the rickety carriage trembled over the mountain path. Magnolia was hidden from a majority of the continent through a series of mountain chains that stretched from the town all the way to Oak Town and Omnibus. As of the current moment, they were lethargically winding along yet another mountain path that led between the twin peaks near Sea Hare Village.

Eventually, Lucy's eyes fluttered shut as she watched the scenery pass them by from the open end of the wagon. Gray, on the other hand, was brooding over when he had become so "whipped," as the other guys would call him, so as to voluntarily ride in such an old-fashioned means of transportation.

"It's so beautiful." A sigh escaped the blonde's lips. With lassitude a breeze wafted by and ruffled their hair.

Silently, Gray turned his head so he was looking down at the girl. "Mhm," he agreed absentmindedly, not taking his eyes off her. Lucy did not seem to notice this.

"Just two days, Gray. Maybe three, maybe four. A week, perhaps. Enough time to get you back on track, hm?" she mumbled, more to herself than anyone else, even though he knew it was directed towards himself.

"You really didn't have to, Luce," Gray's brows rose into his hairline. His grip on her tightened marginally. "You know I'm fine by myself, right?"

It was then that the blonde's head swiveled back around to face his. Lucy rested her chin on his shoulder, and when her eyes found his he noticed they were filled with an odd fearlessness and an odd caring. "Everyone," she closed her eyes thoughtfully and smiled at him, "needs some support sometimes. Even someone with an adamantine shell like yours. And plus—" The blonde shifted closer, her back to him, and with a mollified gaze Gray wrapped his other arm around her.

Lucy threw her arms out and reclined in his arms freely. "We're going on another adventure!" she cheered. "Who wouldn't want that?" She kicked back her legs.

It was true, the brunet reminded himself as Lucy soon drifted off to sleep in his arms, that he missed the exhilaration of going against the world, and with her by his side.

* * *

"Wow!" was Lucy's exclamation when they entered the hotel bazaar. Upon seeing the ingenuity of her expression, Gray couldn't help but ponder over how barren her life before she ran away had been. The room was small, after all.

Like an effusive child, the blonde instantly made for one of the twin beds and bounded atop it. The springy mattress bounced the girl up and down in the air. Gray could only gaze on at her, with her hair disheveled and astray and the silks of her dress flung about her in a halo of what resembled down. It was in that moment that the pang in his heart prompted another bout of unfamiliar feelings to well up in his chest.

The town they settled in was one of the larger areas towards northern Fiore—one that was relatively far from Magnolia and would mostly guarantee that they wouldn't meet any familiar faces—and was home to one of the most influential aristocrats in the continent: Count Balsamico. Since Gray and a few other guild members had been requested on a mission by said person, there were some perks of him being in town. Just in time for the Magic Dance Ball he periodically hosted, also. Gray made a note to bring Lucy with him to let experience such a social gathering.

He was interrupted from his eccentric train of thought when Lucy called his name. Sprawled on the duvet, the blonde waved him over, wracked with giggles.

"This room is so nice." Her sigh was content. Hearing that, Gray felt the same way and sat heavily onto the bed. Lying on her back, the blonde's eyes were half-lidded to keep out the scintillating rays of sunlight that scattered through the window and onto the bed. Her golden tresses brushed against Gray's leg. "Gray, isn't it nice? I haven't even been here and I already feel so at home."

"Yeah?" Gray half-smiled at her. "Well, ditto."

"Really?" Her eyes sparkled.

"I'm not lying, am I?" he shrugged nonchalantly. Sometimes he just felt at home with her by his side.

Shrieking with joy, Lucy ebulliently pounced on him in a light embrace.

* * *

 _Dark guilds are not hard to catch_ , Gray observed. _Neither are bandits. Or monsters. In this case, monsters._

The brunet had been on an innumerable amount of monster hunting jobs. This was his life; it couldn't be so hard.

Behind him, Lucy's footsteps were soundless. Every step she took made it seem like she was merely an extension of the forest herself, growing in solitary radiance, home in a place that wasn't home. He couldn't help but dart a glance back her way through his peripheral vision and muse to himself how he could've possibly found such a lovely girl.

Her hair was braided—with flowers, for she insisted—and spilled over her bare shoulders. She was adorned in similar hunting attire the other female guildmates of theirs wore, yet still looked beyond exquisite, with the soaring leather boots, the beige leggings, and a modest shirt that seemed to serve only the purpose of teasing him. Gray sighed and willed himself to look away.

Above the canopy, a shadow passed over the spots of light filtering onto the ground. Gray stiffened immediately and poised himself. The forest path diverted at this point, leading off in two completely different directions, and each side was asgasdgasd and more intrepid than the next. On the ground, a shattered piece of wood lay sprawling, and Lucy reached forward towards it. She fell into a kneel on one knee as she examined it. The brunet behind her was pleasantly surprised; he had previously suspected that of all the years she had been trapped she had had no access to the outside world, but her observation skills must have been top notch for her to survive until she had met him.

"Maybe we should split up," the blonde swiveled her head around to look at him. Searching for a sign of doubt in her eyes, Gray found none, only an odd melancholy.

Unease filled his chest. "Lucy," he frowned. "I really don't think that's a good idea." For emphasis he showed her the mission sheet. "We have no idea what we're up against. Goliath's supposedly a renegade group of bandits, but what if they're hiding something dangerous?" Lucy stood up, listening with wide, concerned eyes.

"Gray," she laid her hand on the nape of his neck, her touch soothing. Her eyes were half-lidded. "Don't worry about me, alright? I will be fine. Besides, this is probably the most efficient way. Trust me." But Gray said nothing in return, only avoided her piercing gaze.

"We can do this together, can't we?"

Then she smiled.

Gray would never forget that smile. He knew that from the bottom of his heart he could trust the beauty behind that expression. This time, he could only hope it would return as he watched her briskly pace down one of the paths in the fork of the road. He did not make a move to go.

As if on cue, Lucy whipped around to glance at him once more. The moment their eyes met, she smiled encouragingly at him.

 _Be careful_ , she mouthed fondly. Gray shoved aside his worry upon seeing her effervescent expression.

"You too," he said softly after her. The blonde broke into a grin before bounding down the path and disappearing, enveloped by the shadows. Disparagingly, he ran a hand through his hair and continued watching the now uninhabited path, unable to comprehend the angst in his heart that could only be read as a heartbreaking _p_ _lease stay safe_ he had yet to know he harbored.

 _I care for you, Lucy._

* * *

The moment Lucy heard the clamor far off in the distance and the thunderous footsteps marching towards her, her eyes widened and she felt a chill run down her spine. The blonde instantly pivoted and made a dash for the nearest tree. Down below, shadowed by the ebony black canopy, she could barely see anything.

Her fingers scraped against the bark as she clambered up with a finesse she hadn't known she possessed. Ensuring she had a firm foothold and wrapping her legs tightly around a sturdier branch, the blonde tugged herself up, breaking the surface of leafy greenery. Flares of sunlight burst through the canopy and stung at her eyes. From afar, Lucy observed, she could conveniently pinpoint its exact location. She sought out the monster— _ah, there it was_.

Through the waves of rumbling she slid back down the tree and swung to a halt, landing in a crouch to break her fall. It wasn't as hard as she had first pictured it, she noticed, than it had been described in books she had read. Her side twinged briefly, but she dismissed the feeling as she broke into a sprint.

 _For Gray_ , Lucy set her jaw firmly. She slung her ornate bow off her shoulder and reached over the other for an arrow. _I can't let him down_.

Slowing to a stop, Lucy steeled herself. _In, out._ Steadying the rise and fall of her chest, she released a long breath. Off ahead in the distance, she could see trees being felled by the gargantuan hairy feet plodding their way over. The girl furrowed her brow, concentrated, and aimed. A bead of sweat rolled down her temple. The tremors in the ground were growing by the second as the beast finally noticed her, its yellow chatoyant irises setting its sights her way.

 _I will be brave_ , she told herself in spite of everything, drawing the string back and letting the arrow fly.

It whistled through the air, seeming to defy gravity, and struck the dark guild's weapon right between its two eyes. Lucy shook her hand. "Ow!" The sting from firing hurt more than she expected. The behemoth let out an enraged roar, sending echoes through the forest; the girl almost fell smack dab onto the ground from the magnitude of its cry. Slowly, she reached for another arrow as it began tripping her way like an angered bull.

"Lucy! Behind you!" a voice yelled desperately from some distance away, and on instinct the blonde whipped around and sent a flying kick in said direction. Her foot slammed into the gut of what seemed to be a bandit, who flew a few meters away from the impact.

"Gray?" was the first thing she said. Happiness welled up inside her, but she shoved it aside as she noticed more shadows flitting in the shade. Lucy frowned and reached for her belt, her fingers reaching to touch a pouch of keys dangling from her hip. Beneath her fingertips, the keys inside pulsed with magic, and the blonde smiled to herself. She hadn't had much time to call her spirits out after she'd run away, and this was a perfect opportunity to get to see them again. She began running once more, and scaled another tree.

"Open," she called, grabbing a key and swinging it in a wide arc. The summoning hymn was all too familiar, and she savored how good it felt to say that once more. "Gate of the Golden Bull: Taurus!"

Lucy leapt forward and swung onto the branch of the next tree. From a shower of golden rays manifested the humanoid bull form she hadn't seen in far too long, but she had no time for formal greetings. "Taurus! It's so good to see you!" she cried, eyes transfixed on the grey form ahead.

"Moo, Miss Lucy!" the large spirit grinned. "I haven't seen you for quite a while—and you look as beautiful as ever!" He shifted the axe in his hands to and fro. Lucy sent him a reciprocated smile and brandished her whip.

"Thank you, Taurus," she smiled sweetly, before turning back to the sight that lay ahead of them. "But I think we have some unfinished work ahead of us."

* * *

"Ice Make: Geyser!"

Resounding cries of defeat reverberated through the clearing, and the brunet smacked his hands together with a satisfied grin. He had just taken out the remainder of the ragtag bunch of dark mages he had met along the way, and by God it felt good to get something done again—not that he had any complaints about spending the past week with Lucy, but he admitted that he missed the exhilaration of it all.

Exhaling loudly, Gray reached for the dagger dangling idly from his belt and began flipping it up in the air. Judging by the way the trees seemed to point and later diverge in varying directions, there could be a clearing or a diverging point up ahead; perhaps, he reasoned, he could find Lucy there.

 _Lucy_ — _I wonder how she's doing?_

The brunet felt an odd sort of feeling well up in his chest, but dismissed it for a bout of chills as he rifled through his bag and pulled out his communications lacrima. The cloudy purple of the interior cleared after ringing for a few moments, and he placed it onto the ground and crouched beside it. He needed to call the Magic Council after all.

Subsequently, Doranbolt's face emerged from the mist within, his countenance distorted by the rounded glass. Gray flexed his shoulders casually.

"Gray?" he squinted at the screen almost comically. "How are you? And—" After a brief pause he continued, surveying Gray's surroundings. "Where are you, exactly?"

"Uh," Gray struggled to recall the name of the nearest town. "Near—you know what? I don't even remember." Agitation wracked at his brain; he _needed_ to see Lucy, needed to see if she was alright. "I'm near Count Balsamico's place. You know where that is, right?"

He could almost visibly see the reminiscent look that slipped onto the man's face. "Yeah," Doranbolt replied, pursing his lips as he thought back to the Velveno incident a while back. That really took quite a turn, he couldn't help but think. "I remember. Alright, we'll find you there."

As Gray opened his mouth to speak, a bloodcurdling scream resounded through the trees. Whipping his head around and leaping up, Gray sucked in a breath. _Could that be_ —? His mind and heart both stopped right on the spot. Sparing the fallen dark mages he had just dealt with, the brunet felt a lump rise in his throat and his back stiffen, for he knew deep down his suspicions had probably already been confirmed.

"Lucy!" he yelled, clenching his fists, but urgently made a face and turned back to the lacrima. Doranbolt's bewildered expression was all he saw. "Mest—I mean, Doran—I mean, can you guys come quickly? I need—" Breathing heavily, he could barely cram his words out.

Frowning, the Council member nodded with haste. Gray almost melted at the empathetic understanding in his eyes. "D-Don't worry about it, Gray. Just leave them there; we'll put a tracker out. Go quickly."

Swallowing back a breath, the A-class monster hunter mumbled a rushed thank you and broke into a sprint in the direction of the sound.

* * *

It was like déjà vu, Gray's mind whispered, as he rushed through the thickening foliage. But this time, unlike the first, he had everything to lose. The wind slapped at his face, and a chill ran down his spine. The tapestry of forest beckoned to him, but this time it wasn't a warm welcome, brimming with life. This time it laced its bony fingers about his soul, with its light too absent, its hanging vines too skinny, its vinery too _dead_. This time round, the forest was the predator. This time round, it screamed of death and smelled of ash.

" _Gray_!" a wheedling voice called. The sound seemed to come from a completely different direction than the one prior, and the brunet furrowed his brow, grip tightening on his dagger. His haggard breathing was the only thing he could hear as he stumbled to a stop.

" _Gray,_ " another seemingly omnipresent whisper tickled his ear from behind. He pivoted around, brandishing his dagger, but found not a soul. It seemed as if something was messing with his mind. His feet felt instantly heavier.

"Lucy," he muttered, gritting his teeth. Steeling his resolution, Gray set his jaw and kept going, the only thing spurring him on the prospect of seeing her. Swatting aside stray branches that obstructed his path, ignoring the scratches and bruises on his arms they wrought, he finally broke from the huddle of trees and collapsed onto a patch of withered, graying grass.

 _Grass...?_ he thought. That could only mean he was at— _at the clearing_.

"Lucy?" he trailed off, raising his head to survey the backdrop. His throat constricted upon seeing what lay before him, and he felt all his remaining strength leave him in one glance.

Several meters away, in the middle of the shrunken grass, Lucy lay inert. Drops of crimson blood was spewed across the grass around her, the beads of scarlet seemingly decorating the dying shrubbery. Struggling to stand, Gray moved closer. His feet felt like lead, the dread weighing him down. He almost refused to look, refused to accept the fact that the splatters of red he was trudging through came from her.

"Lucy?" His voice broke, and he fell into a run. Stooping and stumbling, Gray collapsed to his knees as he neared and crawled over to her side. As his hands dragged through the shriveled grass, they turned up stained with red. He could barely make out, in the midst of the red blooming all over her abdomen, the form of a dagger handle, embedded deep within her right shoulder, grazing by her heart. Unknowingly, his hands trembled. "Lucy? Lucy, please don't be— _please don't be_ —"

Deep within the caverns of his mind the brunet felt the sense of déjà vu overwhelming him. The back of his eyes stung indescribably. An onslaught of memories flew by every time he blinked: the first time they saw each other up close, they were in this position. He had been in time to save her. Here they were again. Back in a clearing, with an incapacitated behemoth lying not far in his peripheral vision, with her hair falling about her face like a halo. The resemblance was almost uncanny. Instead, though, the first time, the grass had been lush and revitalized, the feeling he now constantly felt had been a stranger to him, and she had—well, she had been running from her fate. Now here they were back here again, but this time he was forced to watch as she fell to suffer a fate far worse than what would have happened if she had just _stayed_ in the first place.

As if on cue, the blonde inhaled a short, shuddering breath, and her eyes fluttered open, remaining half-lidded. Her breathing was shallow, but it stilled Gray anyway. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Gray's wide eyes were glued to her bloodstained face as she tenderly reached up a hand and brushed her fingers against Gray's cheek.

"Gray," was the first thing she said, in the tiniest of voices. She could barely keep her eyes open. Lucy broke into a gradual giggle. "Gray," she repeated faintly. Her hand cupped his cheek and moved to behind his neck. "Gray, you came."

"This is all my fault," said brunet could barely get the words out. His jaw was tensed.

"I—" the girl began, but broke into a fit of coughs. She winced as another few rivulets of blood began oozing out from the wound. She sent him a halfhearted smile, and her other hand reached toward the dagger and touched it. Her fingertips emerged soaked in crimson, and she held it up for Gray to see. "Look, Gray," she turned her head to the side and stared out beyond, "look at it. It's... it's red. Did you know... it used to be—it used to be gold...?"

Gray cradled the back of her head in his hand and dared not to move, as if the slightest movement would shatter her permanently. "Lucy, what are you saying?"

"Gray," Lucy began absentmindedly, "I'm going... I'm going to tell you a story. Please."

"Lucy—" Gray began to shake his head profusely. "You're losing blood. Please, let me just—"

"For me, Gray," she managed a weak sigh. "Please. Just this. Just this one. For me, Gray?"

Once he fell silent, she held her hand up to the light and turned it back and forth. "When I was trapped, alone, in the mountains..." she drifted off. "When I was destined for something. I was immortal. I was... to be forever young. My blood was made from—from the stars." She shuddered, her head falling backward a tad due to fatigue. "Every dying star... Every dying star would be hidden in my body. Every single one.

"Then, I... I ran away. My destiny just... it just broke apart. It went out of line. _I_ went out of line. I meddled with what was already set in stone, Gray," Lucy's eyes were brimming. Her gaze seemed vacant, as if they were already a world apart, and it broke his heart. She turned to him. "I ruined myself, Gray. It wasn't your fault, isn't your fault. It never... It never was. Time isn't good to me, Gray." The sound of her voice grew frailer by the minute. "I know I knew—deep down inside, that... that once I destroyed everything I'd brought myself to an end. I couldn't possibly have... lived long by running, right?" She broke into a litany of cruelly ironic laughter. She placed both hands on either side of Gray's face and brushed his hair out of his eyes, her gaze piercing right through his soul. As he finally opened his mouth to speak, Lucy couldn't bear to see the rawness of heartbreak evident in his stormy blue irises.

"Gray, _let me tell you something_." She gently pulled him closer so they were nose-to-nose, their proximity so intimate that she could see the torn expression in his eyes; it was like art, she thought, seeing someone so beautiful yet so far away all at once.

"Gray, I never told you, but from the moment I met you—"

"No." His thumb brushed against her cheek almost endearingly. "Lucy, you're talking like you're not gonna make it. And I know you can. _Please_ , just... just listen to me. You can't give up on me like this." With an effort he frowned and continued, tripping over his words in an attempt to get them all out before her eyes closed. "Lucy, I don't know anything about love. That's why from the moment I met you, I felt this falling feeling, and I had no idea what it was until now. You're the first, you know?" He pulled her closer and rested his forehead on her shoulder, uncaring of the way her blood stained his face and trickled down his cheekbones. "I can't let you be the last." He scrunched his eyes shut, his grip on her tightening marginally.

Her voice was a ghost of a whisper by his ear and her lips were soft. "You can't choose who you fall in love with," Lucy said quietly. He wondered if she regretted anything, and if she did, what he could have changed. As her embrace grew unsteady and her hands began to fall from around his shoulders, Gray could almost feel the weight of the world crush down upon his back. His eyes shot open just in time to see her eyes drift shut as they did when she fell asleep. Limply, her arm dropped to her side, and as her head fell back she smiled at him almost radiantly.

" _I'm just glad I chose right, Gray_." Her voice swept past him like a breeze and disappeared along with the wind. Gray could feel his tears running freely now, carving grooves amidst the blood caked on his face.

When he turned back to her, he could still see the serene smile inked on her countenance.

" _Lucy!"_

* * *

 **endnote:** see, i'm not good at fighting scenes. sighs. speaking of this, did you guys forget this was a monster hunter au? because i think i did, hahaha. oh well. _/edit: well, Alan Rickman. my favorite actor. Rest in peace. *runs off sobbing like a baby*_


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